


warmth.

by ayahaha



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 21:53:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7406299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayahaha/pseuds/ayahaha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Nori-sensei, do you ever feel lonely?"</p><p>He answers with the obvious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	warmth.

He feels warmth, a familiar kind of warmth. Not from the fire, the crackling embers- slowly dying, the only light in the dark forest.

He hears clothes shifting, a soft russle, if he wasn't already listening to the soft coos of distant animals, he would've missed it.

He sees it next - or rather, sees her. Saki sliding beside him, settling in like she belonged there. The slight lean of her body, leaning into him.

He automatically turns away from it.

Nori shouldn't accept this, and he doesn't.

Saki looks up at him with bright green eyes, forever hopeful, forever expressive. They remind him of someone else. The way she looks at him brings him back to happier days. He pushes that thought down, he has no use for lingering.

 _She doesn't deserve this_ , he thinks offhandedly.

Saki is the first one to break the peaceful silence. She looks away before speaking, as if looking at him would've been too much for her.

"Nori-sensei, do you ever feel lonely?"

It's one of those moods, he supposes. He wonders where the question came from, but figures he won't ever find out. He already knows her mind works in ways he doesn't fully understand.

It's funny in that sense, he's supposed to be her teacher but he's always learning from his team.

Not that he'd ever let them know that.

"Mmm... sometimes. It's hard to, with you guys always around." He jokes, keeping a light-hearted air.

"What about me?"

"You're one of my favorite students, Saki."

"Is that it?"

He stiffens immediately.

Saki takes his minute silence as initiative to keep talking- forever being a leader. Taking the initiative while her teammates willingly followed, both glad that someone else took charge.

"You know, I've been thinking..." She takes a pause, mulling over her words for a second. "What if... you weren't my sensei? And I wasn't your student?"

He says the obvious.

"I'd be very lonely."

She smiles at that- so happy, so carefree.

His heart hurts.

Saki takes that as a good answer, further leaning towards him, smile spreading by the second in excitement, giddiness. She reaches out for him, his first instinct is to go.

"But this," he gestures between them with soft motions "I'm sorry Saki, has to stop. The fact is that I'm your sensei. Your 13-years-older-than-you-sensei."

The dying light reflects in her eyes, and he wonders if the the shine is from the light or something else.

She speaks in a quiet voice, "You're perfect to me, I don't care about things like that."

Nori looks away, happy to look anywhere away from her eyes.

"You deserve someone your age. I might die next year."

"I won't let that happen."

"We're shinobi, you can't say things like that."

"Then let's make the year worth it."

He just wants to drop the topic desperately. She's determined, he can give her that.

"I'm going to patrol. Keep an eye out."

Before Saki can say anything, Nori's figure has already disappeared in the darkness, the forest more than eager to swallow his silhouette up.

Saki looks away from where Nori was standing minutes ago, turning back towards the fire, it's finally out and thin smoke trails are lifting into the air.

She wonders offhandedly if she should wake up the boys for their shift. She wants to sleep, not waiting around for Nori when he's back. She's not sure what she should say to him next, to show that she's not ready to give him up for petty reasons.

Maybe rest is all she needs to settle her thoughts, rearrange her words.

Slowly standing up, she dusts off her clothes and makes her way back to the small tent.

She'll try again another day.


End file.
